By Staff Writers Esther Lau, Amy Luo, Jennie Wang, & Bryan Xiong
With the 2022-23 ASB elections just around the corner, MSJ students may be interested in learning more about the prospective candidates. Prior to preliminary voting, the Smoke Signal interviewed the eight candidates about their experiences, campaign platforms, and visions for the upcoming school year.
How to Vote:
ASB Preliminary Elections will take place on Friday, January 28 throughout the day in students’ social science classes. Unlike traditional elections, however, voting will be administered via Google Forms to further prevent the spread of COVID-19. Access the voting form at tinyurl.com/2022asbprelims — the password is folklore. Further instructions for ASB Final Elections will be posted on Instagram @msjwarriors.
President
Amulya Harish:
From being the 2021-22 ASB Vice President to serving on FUSD’s SURFBoardE, 2022-23 ASB President Candidate Junior Amulya Harish has ample experience in bettering the MSJ community. Harish’s campaign is centered on continuity, whether it is through continuing his current progress as ASB Vice President or through preserving cross-communication between MSJ and FUSD. “I want to have the biggest impact on people and the way people run things here that I can,” Harish said.
Harish’s goals for the next school year include organizing an early-summer bonding event at MSJ to build community, continuing to improve the locker system by overhauling bugged website functions, and maintaining open communication and feedback between ASB and the student body.
Vice President
Serena Cai:
With three years of class officer experience under her belt, Junior Class President and 2022-23 ASB Vice President Candidate Junior Serena Cai is no stranger to serving the school community. For Cai, MSJ’s community means fun and inspiration. “Almost all the people I’ve met are always really friendly, and there’s always something about everyone that I can look up to,” Cai said.
Next year, Cai is looking forward to making the ASB website more accessible for new students through reorganizing its current format and publishing guides for club creation and reimbursement forms, among other resources.
Treasurer
Caleb Lu:
As the current Junior Class Vice President and only junior on the L2 Student Store Committee, 2022-23 ASB Treasurer Candidate Junior Caleb Lu is set on improving transparency and efficiency for the next school year. Two of the ASB Treasurer’s main responsibilities are running the Student Store and overseeing all requisition and expenditure forms — both things that he hopes to streamline in the future. Lu’s goals in the upcoming year include creating a step-by-step video guide explaining the reimbursement process for class and club officers as well as maintaining spreadsheets that keep track of merchandise distribution and other items sold.
“There [are] so many things that can be fixed…I want to make the lives of MSJ students easier. I just want to let all students in the loop,” Lu said.
Secretary
Peter Chen:
As the current Junior Class Treasurer, 2022-23 ASB Secretary Candidate Junior Peter Chen is committed to bettering the relationship between ASB and the MSJ community. Chen’s campaign is focused on improving communication by restructuring ASB information broadcasts and providing resources to help tackle academic and mental health issues that MSJ students may be facing. “I think [it] is really inspiring that students are all working together to succeed, and I hope that I can help [promote] a positive environment here,” Chen said.
Chen hopes to streamline the broadcast of weekly Read Meets onto various social media platforms, reinstate the use of the Bell Tower Quad Wall Calendar — the activities planner painted near the Student Store — and collaborate with Peer Resource to organize mental health awareness resources for the MSJ community.
Adyant Patnaik:
With his extensive leadership experience in MSJ clubs including DECA, Relay for Life, and Warrior Training, L2 Fundraising Committee Member and 2022-23 ASB Secretary Candidate Junior Adyant Patnaik aims to make communication with leadership accessible. Patnaik’s campaign hopes to bridge the divide between the student body and its leaders by bringing information to students as efficiently as possible to keep them informed and involved. “I feel like a lot of the time, again, students are disconnected from the representatives…Whenever they look for outlets, they’re not able to find them. I want to be that outlet,” Patnaik said.
As ASB Secretary, he hopes to revitalize MSJ TV and hold regular town halls for open communication with students through Q&A.
Adwithi Yarida:
After serving as Class of 2024’s Secretary for two years, 2022-23 ASB Secretary Candidate Sophomore Adwithi Yarida is committed to improving transparency and communication between MSJ and the student government. Her experiences while leading Homecoming as a class officer have taught her to appreciate the diversity of MSJ’s student body. “Your voice is key…as a leader, I think it’s really important to be spirited and happy…so that it can motivate other people,” Yarida said.
Yarida’s campaign focuses on prioritizing student outreach and feedback, as she hopes to streamline communication by releasing periodic updates about school events.
Activities Coordinator
Jayden Gravett:
Whether it is his experiences in Boy Scouts or his contributions to MSJ as part of L2’s Campus Committee, 2022-23 ASB Activities Coordinator Candidate Junior Jayden Gravett has developed a clear passion for giving back to his community. With his campaign, Gravett hopes to boost student involvement in events such as Homecoming and tune school activities to align with student feedback and suggestions.
Gravett’s campaign goals include allowing students to vote on Friday Activities ahead of time via social media platforms and implementing more events during Homecoming, such as a barbeque, to garner more student participation. “I want to do a lot of big changes, especially with Homecoming games,” Gravett said.
Diya Kochar:
As a current member of the L2 Activities Team, 2022-23 ASB Activities Coordinator Candidate Junior Diya Kochar is devoted to prioritizing student wellness on campus. By organizing unique and creative events, Kochar hopes to highlight the diversity at MSJ and promote mental health awareness amongst the MSJ community. “I want to continue [MSJ’s] legacy of unity and make our community stronger than ever,” Kochar said.
Kochar’s campaign goals include implementing the use of a monthly Activities Calendar, prioritizing student input in planning diverse activities by utilizing feedback forms, and expanding on Spirit Weeks and intradistrict events.
Cover image by Web Editor Tanisha Srivatsa
